Protective screen for horse blanket

ABSTRACT

An outer layer of mesh material is used to loosely cover the exterior of an animal blanket to provide a protective buffer against damage caused by impact and abrasion experienced during use. The mesh material utilized in the manufacture of the outer protective layer is made with a high-strength polyester yarn that has been extrusion-coated with a polyvinyl chloride sheath. This fiber material has been found to have physical characteristics that are particularly advantageous for this protective application. Specifically, in addition to the light weight, strength and flexibility provided by the inner core of the fiber, the PVC coating provides temperature stability and resistance to color fade, abrasion, flame, and mildew.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a CIP of U.S. Ser. No. 09/386,770, filed Aug. 31,1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,054.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention pertains to the field of protective covers for animals,such as blankets and turnout rugs for horses. In particular, it relatesto a blanket that includes a protective outer screen layer made of acoated fiber particularly suited for protection and durability.

2. Description of the Related Art

Various kinds of animal blankets, such as back covers for dogs and catsand turnout rugs for horses, and water-resistant rain covers have beenin use for a long time. They protect the animal from cold weather andrain in outdoor environments, often after physical activity, when theanimal is overheated by exertion (such as a horse after riding). Thus,it is important that the animal be kept dry and free of accumulation ofmoisture and sweat under the blanket to prevent colds and otherinfirmities. Therefore, animal owners, especially horse owners, commonlyhave different blankets for different uses, depending on weatherconditions, temperature, and humidity. A blanket may include insulationfor warmth, a laminated layer for rain protection, or simply consist ofa light permeable fabric to allow perspiration while protecting theanimal. Often blankets combine some of these features in a singleproduct.

The best modern fabrics for horse blankets are typically made withwater-resistant materials that permit passage of moisture from insideout but prevent flow in the opposite direction. These materials are saidto allow breathing and are therefore considered “breathable,” as thatterm has become known in the industry. Often a permeable layer is addedinside the water-resistant fabric for comfort. Other blankets utilize animpermeable non-breathable outer material, which is less expensive, andprovide breathability by the addition of intermediate permeable layersand/or by structural designs that promote air flow between layers. Horseblankets that are designed for particularly cold weather typicallyinclude multiple stacked layers of quilted and impermeable fabric. Forexample, the first, innermost layer can be a permeable liner intended tolay on the horse's back and provide comfort. As such, cotton or othersoft material is preferably used. An intermediate layer may consist ofpermeable insulation material, such as polyester FIBERFILL®, which isnormally quilted to the liner. An outer layer of either impermeable orbreathable material, such as GORETEX®, may be used to provide protectionfrom rain. These layers are substantially of equal geometry and size,typically superimposed on each other and stitched together to form aunit.

One problem with all kinds of horse blankets is premature wear.Referring to horses, for example, because moisture, insects and debrisare easily trapped under the blanket, the horses experience discomfortthat causes them to rub against fence posts, corrals and the like. Inthe process, the outer surface of the blanket is scraped against roughsurfaces, pointed structures, and similar protrusions that rapidlydamage the blanket. Similar signs of discomfort are exhibited by dogsand cats. Thus, an expensive and otherwise durable blanket is turnedinto a worn-out cover much sooner than actual wear and tear shouldwarrant. Once a tear occurs, unless it is immediately repaired, theblanket is rapidly transformed into a dilapidated stack of loose fabricand insulation material.

The common approach to counter this problem has been to reinforce theouter layer of the blankets by using thicker material or strongerfibers. Unfortunately, though, these solutions tend to modify thephysical characteristics and performance of the blankets, such as theirweight, permeability to perspiration, and water resistance. Therefore,this approach does not provide an acceptable alternative. Copending U.S.Ser. No. 09/386,770 describes a multilayer blanket with an outerprotective layer made of mesh material. This invention discloses aparticular mesh-material structure that is uniquely suitable for thisapplication and provides a marked advance in the art of animal blankets.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary goal of this invention is to improve the durability of aconventional horse blanket without affecting the physicalcharacteristics of its outer layer, such that the functional performanceof the blanket will remain unaffected by the added protection.

In particular, an objective of the invention is a protective layer thatmay withstand entanglement with a rough surface without also damagingthe blanket.

Another objective is a replaceable and economic means for protecting theouter layer of a horse blanket, such that full use of the blanket can beretained by replacing the outer layer even after accidental damage isincurred as a result of entanglement with corral posts and the like.

Another goal is to provide a means for protecting the blanket withoutmaterially adding to its weight.

Another desirable objective is a protective cover suitable for use withconventional blankets of other animals for which protective blankets arenormally provided, such as dogs and cats, in addition to horses.

Finally, an objective of the invention is a protective cover and anassociated blanket that can be manufactured relatively inexpensivelywith standard materials appropriately combined to provide protectionagainst unwarranted wear and tear while retaining the blanket'sfunctional characteristics.

Therefore, according to one aspect of the invention, an outer layer ofmesh material is used to loosely cover the exterior of an animalblanket, such as a horse blanket, to provide a protective buffer againstdamage caused by impact and abrasion experienced during use. The meshmaterial is preferably connected to the blanket by means of releasablefasteners placed only along its edges, thereby leaving the mesh materialrelatively free to slide over the blanket's outer sheet in case ofentanglements. The mesh is selected of sufficient density to preventcontact of the blanket's surface with abutting objects; at the sametime, the mesh openings must be sufficiently large to prevent impairingthe blanket's aeration and to minimize the impact of its additionalweight.

According to another aspect of the invention, the mesh material utilizedin the manufacture of the outer protective layer is made with ahigh-strength polyester yarn that has been extrusion-coated withpolyvinyl chloride. This fiber material has been found to have physicalcharacteristics that are particularly advantageous for this protectiveapplication. Specifically, in addition to the light weight, strength andflexibility provided by the inner core of the fiber, the PVC coatingprovides temperature stability and resistance to color fade, abrasion,flame, and mildew. These properties are very useful in a materialutilized as a protective layer for an animal cover or garment usedoutdoors.

In an embodiment of the invention first disclosed in Ser. No.09/386,770, an all-purpose blanket for a horse includes multiple layerssuitable for all weather conditions. The inner layer of the blanketconsists of a soft permeable material to provide breathability andcomfort. The next, intermediate layer is an insulating quilted-liner tocover the top and flanks of the animal for warmth. The next outer layerof the blanket is a waterproof material for rain protection. Finally,the mesh material of the invention provides a protective layer coveringthe entire blanket. All layers are independent units of substantiallyequal shape and size joined by common fasteners at the edges. Dependingon temperature and weather requirements, only some of the blanket layersmay be used.

Various other purposes and advantages of the invention will become clearfrom its description in the specification that follows. Therefore, tothe accomplishment of the objectives described above, this inventionconsists of the features hereinafter illustrated in the drawings andfully described in the detailed description of the preferred embodimentand particularly pointed out in the claims. However, such drawings anddescription disclose only some of the various ways in which theinvention may be practiced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a horse blanket with a mesh protectivecover according to the invention, shown as it would be seen laying on ahorse's back.

FIG. 2 is a partially cut-out perspective view of a multilayer horseblanket according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a mesh protective cover according to theinvention for use over conventional horse blankets.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of a coated fiber used in the mesh protectivelayer according to the preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a dog blanket including a mesh protective coveraccording to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The idea of this invention is the addition of a loose mesh material tothe outside of an animal blanket to provide a buffer layer that protectsthe blanket from abrasion and entanglements while retaining theblanket's functional characteristics. The mesh material may beincorporated into the structure of a traditional blanket or provided asa protective cover releasably attached to it.

Since the disclosure of Ser. No. 09/386,770, a new material wasdiscovered that is particularly suitable to practice the invention withany kind of animal cover or garment used outdoors. As illustrated insectioned view in FIG. 4, the mesh material consists of a woven fabricmanufactured with an inner fiber 70 coated with an outer sheath 72 ofpolyvinyl-chloride (PVC) material which provides mildew, flame andabrasion resistance properties that render it particularly attractivefor use as a protective layer on an animal. In addition, PVC is stableto normal ultraviolet-light exposure and to the temperature rangetypically associated with outdoor usage of an animal blanket (from about0 to about 100° F.). In a preferred embodiment of the invention, theinner fiber of the coated yarn is made of a high-strength polyestercoated by extrusion with PVC. Such a woven fabric is availablecommercially under the mark TEXTILENE® from the Twitchell Corporation ofDothan, Ala.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals correspond tolike parts throughout, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a horse blanket10 according to the invention, seen as it would appear laid on the backof a horse (not shown). The typical structure of a horse blanketincludes a top midsection 12 intended to cover the back of the horse andtwo front sides 14 that define a neck cutout tailored to fit around theneck of the horse wearing the blanket. The two lateral sides 16 of themidsection 12 are intended to drape over the flanks of the animal. Neckstraps 18 with corresponding buckles 20 are provided to secure the frontend of the blanket around the neck of the horse. Belly straps or girths22 are similarly provided to fasten the blanket around the belly of thehorse by means of mating snaps 24, 26 and tensioning means 28. A tailcover 30, adapted to extend over the tail of the horse wearing theblanket and protect it from rain, may also be included. The designcriteria for the shape of the blanket, the straps and the hardware arenot described in further details here because they are well known in theart.

As shown, the blanket 10 includes a single traditional inner layer 32for direct contact with the back of a horse. This layer may consistsimply of a light sheet of breathable material, or a sheet of laminatedimpermeable material, or it may include insulation quilted between twosheets. In any case, an outer layer 34 of mesh or net material is whatcharacterizes the invention. More particularly, a layer 34 of meshmaterial made with a PVC-coated yarn, such as TEXTILENE®, constitutesthe advance covered by this disclosure.

As illustrated, the mesh layer 34 is preferably attached to the innerlayer 32 only along its edge 36, such as by snap fasteners 38 orequivalents thereof. Alternatively, the mesh layer 34 may be attached bya continuous stitch along the edge of the blanket. This configurationensures that the mesh material is loosely connected to the inner layer32 inside the perimeter of the blanket, and that it is therefore free toslide over it when caught by a post or any other structure that a horseis likely to lean or rub against.

The mesh of the net material is selected sufficiently dense to providephysical protection to the blanket layer 32; that is, the layer 34 mustactually amount to a cover with sufficient structural presence toprovide a buffer between the blanket and foreign objects. The density ofthe mesh should also be sufficient to minimize entanglements with woodsplinters and small penetrating obstacles, such as nails. On the otherhand, the material and the mesh density should also be judiciouslychosen to minimize the weight of the protective layer 34. Nylon orpolyester mesh material, 1,200 or 1,600 Denier, with about 113-160openings per square inch, each opening about {fraction (1/32)}-{fraction(1/16)} of an inch in effective diameter, has been found to be suitablefor the invention. TEXTILENE® in 1,000 to 2,000 Denier with about thesame ranges of opening numbers and sizes has been used veryadvantageously in a variety of blankets for horses and other animals.

In another embodiment of the invention shown in sectioned view in FIG.2, a multilayer blanket 40 includes a combination of blanket componentsdesigned to provide the necessary units for use under any weathercondition. The horse blanket 40 includes a layer 42 of absorbing,permeable material, such as cotton, usually used directly on the horse'sback for comfort. Another layer 44 consists of a quilted insulated sheetto be used only in cold weather either directly on the horse or on topof the lighter layer 42. This quilted portion consists of an inner liner(not show separately in the figures) made of a material selected forcomfort, such as cotton, and an outer insulating material stitched tothe liner in quilt fashion to keep the horse warm in cold weather.Materials such as polyester FIBERFILL® and THINSULATE®, the lattercommonly used in sleeping bags, are preferred for this application. Athird layer 46 consists of a waterproof material, either laminated orbreathable, to be used as an outer layer alone or in combination withone or both of the other layers, depending on the temperature andweather requirements. Materials such as GORETEX®, 1200D polyester, orother similar fabrics are suitable for this layer. Finally, an outerlayer 48 of mesh material as described completes the structure of theblanket 40 according to the invention.

Each layer of the blanket 40 is separate and detached from the otherlayers so that it can be used independently and in any combination withany or all of the other layers. As such, the blanket 40 is convertibleinto a blanket most appropriate for the weather conditions at the timeof use. A preferred method of connection of the various layers isthrough strap slits or eyelets 50 placed in all layers 42,44,46,48 inthe same locations along the outer edge of each component. These eyeletscan be used to firmly retain the various layers on the horse byoverlapping them and passing belly straps 52 through them. As in theprevious embodiment, this method of attachment ensures that the meshlayer 48 is connected to the underlying inner layer only at a few placeslong its edges. All component layers of the blanket 40 preferablysubstantially conform in shape to one another so that they can bepositioned to overlap each other, with the exception perhaps of the tailcover 30 which is normally only provided in one of the layers.

The blanket 40 is intended to be utilized by including only those innerlayers 42,44,44 that fit the occasion, thereby providing greatflexibility of use. In all cases, the top layer 48 of mesh material isoverlapped and loosely attached to the top inner layer to provide thedescribed protective function.

In another embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 3, aprotective cover 60 made substantially of mesh or net material asdescribed is adapted for attachment to the girths 22 of a conventionalhorse blanket. Although manufactured as an independent component, thecover 60 is intended for use only with an existing horse blanketequipped with girth straps suitable for connection with it. Thus, thecover 60 include fasteners 62 distributed along its edge 64 for tyingaround rings or otherwise engaging similar receiving ends in theunderlying blanket. For example, the fasteners 62 may consist of loopand hook type material that can be readily secured around such rings.Straps 66 with buckles 68 may be provided in the front side of the cover60 to firmly secure it over the blanket. Since the only points ofconnection between the cover 60 and the underlying horse blanket consistof these straps and the fasteners 62, the mesh material of the cover ismostly only loosely coupled to the top surface of the blanket and isfree to slide over it when it contacts a foreign object. This protectsthe blanket from abrasion and prevents it from getting caught and rippedby slivers, nails, or other similar protrusions extending out ofobstacles likely to be met by the horse while roaming free. If the cover60 becomes entangled by such an object, its loose connection to theblanket and the inherent forgiving nature of the net material allow itto stretch and possibly release from the snag before damage occurseither to itself or the blanket. In the worst case, the mesh of thecover 60 may tear and may eventually need to be replaced, but thesurface of the more expensive blanket will be spared, which is the mainobject of the invention.

As disclosed, the various embodiments of the invention have proven toprovide significant protection to the underlying horse blanket withoutaffecting comfort to the horse. This is expected to result insubstantial savings to horse owners who traditionally have had toreplace relatively expensive horse blankets long before the material wasworn out due to accidental entanglements and tears.

The invention has been described primarily with reference to horseblankets, but the same protective layer can be used with other animalblankets and garments as well. FIG. 5 illustrates in plan view a dogblanket 80 according to the invention. The blanket 80 is essentially thesame as the horse blanket 60 of FIG. 3, but proportionately smaller insize to fit different dogs. A top mesh layer 82 is attached to theunderlying blanket 84 by means of VELCRO® strips 86 positioned aroundthe edges of the blanket. Thus, the protective layer 82 may be removedfrom the blanket, if so desired. Conventional fasteners 62, straps 66and buckles 68 are also preferably provided to retain the blanket overthe dog. As in the case of horse blankets, an important feature of theinvention is the loose connection between the protective mesh layer andthe underlying blanket, which permits the two to move relatively freelyindependent of one another, thereby minimizing damage in case ofentanglement of the protective layer with an exterior obstacle. Anotherimportant feature is the use of the particular PVC-coated type of fiberdescribed above, which provides improved properties over conventionalnylon or polyester mesh material.

Various changes in the details, materials and components that have beendescribed may be made by those skilled in the art within the principlesand scope of the invention herein illustrated. Therefore, while thepresent invention has been shown and described herein in what isbelieved to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it isrecognized that departures can be made therefrom within the scope of theinvention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed hereinbut is to be accorded the full scope embraced by any and all equivalentprocesses and products.

I claim:
 1. A protective cover for an animal blanket comprising: a layerof mesh material substantially conforming to the size of the animalblanket; and means for fastening said layer of mesh material to theanimal blanket; wherein said mesh material is constructed with a yarnmade of an inner fiber coated with polyvinyl chloride.
 2. The animalblanket of claim 1, wherein said inner fiber is made of polyestermaterial.
 3. The animal blanket of claim 1, wherein said means forfastening comprises loop and hook fasteners adapted to engage the animalblanket.
 4. The horse blanket of claim 1, wherein said means forfastening comprises releasable snap fasteners.
 5. The animal blanket ofclaim 1, wherein said mesh material consists of a net with about 113-160openings per square inch.
 6. The animal blanket of claim 1, wherein saidanimal is a horse.
 7. The animal blanket of claim 1, wherein said innerfiber is made of polyester material, said means for fastening comprisesloop and hook fasteners adapted to engage the animal blanket, and saidmesh material consists of a net with about 113-160 openings per squareinch.
 8. A horse blanket comprising: an inner layer adapted for coveringa horse; and an outer layer of mesh material covering and looselyconnected to said inner layer; wherein said mesh material is constructedwith a yarn made of an inner fiber coated with polyvinyl chloride. 9.The horse blanket of claim 8, wherein said outer and inner layers areattached through releasable snap fasteners.
 10. The horse blanket ofclaim 8, wherein said mesh material consists of a net with about 113-160openings per square inch.
 11. The horse blanket of claim 8, wherein saidouter layer of mesh material conforms to the geometry of said innerlayer.
 12. The horse blanket of claim 8, wherein said inner fiber ismade of polyester material.
 13. The horse blanket of claim 8, whereinsaid outer and inner layers are attached through releasable snapfasteners, said mesh material consists of a net with about 113-160openings per square inch, said outer layer of mesh material conforms tothe geometry of said inner layer, and said inner fiber is made ofpolyester material.
 14. A convertible multilayer horse blanketcomprising: a first inner layer of permeable material; a second innerlayer of insulating material; a third inner layer of impermeablematerial; a fourth, outer layer of mesh material; and means forfastening the various layers to one another in overlapping disposition;wherein at least one of the three inner layers is used in combinationwith the outer layer at any given time; and wherein said mesh materialis constructed with a yarn made of an inner fiber coated with polyvinylchloride.
 15. The horse blanket of claim 14, wherein said outer layer ispartially attached to an edge of an inner layer.
 16. The horse blanketof claim 14, wherein said outer and inner layers are attached by strapspassed through overlapping eyelets in each layer.
 17. The horse blanketof claim 14, wherein said mesh material consists of a net with about113-160 openings per square inch.
 18. The horse blanket of claim 14,wherein said outer layer of mesh material conforms to the geometry saidinner layer.
 19. The horse blanket of claim 14, wherein said inner fiberis made of polyester material.
 20. The horse blanket of claim 14,wherein said outer layer is partially attached to an edge of an innerlayer, said outer and inner layers are attached by straps passed throughoverlapping eyelets in each layer, said mesh material consists of a netwith about 113-160 openings per square inch, said outer layer of meshmaterial conforms to the geometry said inner layer, and said inner fiberis made of polyester material.